Summer's Almost Over

Here's what I've been up to this summer:

Working on mom's personal history.   As the History Committee Chairman, I wrote in the Porter Family Newsletter: "I'm having a wonderful experience with my mother, recording her personal history!  We talk and type, reread and refine as she shares stories of life, love, courage and hope - line upon line.  My mother is a quilt maker, and is feverishly working to create quilts for each of her living posterity.  Each experience we record is a block in her life's quilt, one that will be shared by all.  My love and respect for her has deepened, my desire to be more like her has grown." 

Creating a kiva for my classroom.  After two years of investigating and planning I built my classroom kiva.  The materials cost $250.  Mike Leemaster (a former student and Josh's old freind) and his dad, came over to show me how to carpet it.  I realized I was in over my head and called Blair Sampson, who carpeted our family room, to do the job (that cost $100).  It's essential to know what you can and can't do, and when it's best to let a professional do the job. I just read through my journal for this past year and that's why I made this last comment.  I've been trying to focus on "the essentials."  You could say "how time flies," but you could also say, "time creeps like and ancient turtle slogging through silent slippery sand."  Actually you can say anything you want - and what a two-edged sword that is.  For your information, a kiva is:  1) a sacred, underground ceremonial chamber  2) an underground storage pit  3) a loan made to poor entrepreneurs in third world countries.  I combined all three concepts to help me organize and unify my 2nd grade charges this year.  My only limitation was I had to keep it above ground.  

We had new siding put on the house.  With the forest and desert mingling with the outside walls it was time to put our last set of clothes on the house before yard and house become as one.

Finishing the weekend project I started in January.  This is a substitute for my dream of building a cabin that will most likely not come to pass (the downsizing of a dream).  The old knotty pine bedroom lives on.  Mom made the drapes.  Mom and I chose the couch.  Erica and mom argued about most of the decor, but agreed that the final outcome was "just fine."   Welcome to our family kiva - partially underground.